1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to liquid dispensing apparatus, and more particularly to apparatus adapted to be mounted on a vertical surface and provided with plural discharge outlets for distributing a liquid in a selected discharge pattern.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many houses and other residential and commercial buildings are decorated with flowers and other ornamental plants planted around the periphery of the building. Plants must frequently be watered to supplement naturally available water from precipitation. The prior art has proposed various sprinkling type irrigation systems to answer this need. It will be appreciated that decorative plants vary greatly in their nature, species, growth rate, stage of development, and in other ways affecting overall water requirements. Therefore, to be effective, an irrigation system suitable for watering flower beds and the like located at the periphery of a building must be able to accommodate different water needs at different locations.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,760,961, issued to Masahi Nagai on Aug. 2, 1988, describes an industrial spraying apparatus adapted to vary direction and location of spray heads. Unlike the present invention, variation of spray characteristics is limited by initial configuration of the water supply manifold. Location of spray heads in Nagai is varied, but configuration of the water supply manifold is predetermined and invariable. By contrast, the present invention may be configured to suit, and is provided with structure enabling mounting to a vertical environmental surface. In a further departure from Nagai, individual spray heads or nozzles in the present invention are individually adjustable as to flow rate.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,121,882, issued to Milus R. Skidmore on Jun. 16, 1992, sets forth a ground mounted misting apparatus having multiple spray nozzles. However, the specific application of Skidmore neither requires nor teaches the reconfigurable nature and individually adjustable nozzles of the present invention. Skidmore lacks ability to mount on a vertical surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,919,336, issued to James D. Hudon et al. on Apr. 24, 1990, describes shower pipes each including a plurality of spray nozzles. However, Hudon et al. lacks reconfigurably connected components and individually adjustable nozzles, both of which are features of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,740,970, issued to Tim L. Edwards on Apr. 21, 1998, shows nozzles capable of being individually shut off. However, variation of directional adjustment is not taught. And because the device of Edwards is intended for mounting to a display case, it lacks reconfigurably connected components, as seen in the present invention.
An adjustable nozzle suitable for incorporation into the invention is shown in prior art advertising literature, such as those available from Spraying Systems Company, of Wheaton, Ill. Such nozzles are general purpose, and do not teach the novel spraying apparatus.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.